In recent years, household electrical appliances (home appliances), which include a communication device and have a function for notifying a user of a message based on the state of the respective appliances, have been developed. For example, washing machines include a sensor and a communication device. The sensor detects an abnormal state such as clogging of the drain or unbalanced laundry or the state of completion of washing. The communication device transmits notification data based on the detection result of the sensor to a portable terminal of the user. These home appliances are also called smart home appliances.
Portable terminals include a smartphone, a tablet computer (tablet) and a mobile phone. When a portable terminal has received notification data, the portable terminal notifies the user that data has been received by means of sound, light or vibration. When the user has recognized the notification of data reception, and has performed an operation, the user can confirm a message corresponding to notification data by character display or sound output. As a result, the user can take a suitable action based on the message. For example, when the message alerts the user that an abnormal state has occurred, the user can check the washing machine and take measures to eliminate the abnormal state. When the message notifies the user that washing has been completed, the user can take out the laundry immediately. This configuration prevents the laundry from remaining in the machine for a long time and getting wrinkled.
When a home appliance generates notification data for presenting a message to the user, the notification data is transmitted from the home appliance to a portable terminal of the user regardless of the state of the user. In this way, the message is presented to the user. When the user is not present near the home appliance which is the sender of the notification data, or when the user is tied up with something else, the user cannot take a suitable action immediately. Moreover, when the user keeps the receipt of the notification data or the message in mind, and intends to deal with the issue later, the user may forget to do it.